The Sword and The Ribbon
by recchinon
Summary: AR, how if he met Kaoru before Tomoe? Would it change the history? Warning: chapters are short/semi drabble
1. Blush

Disclaimer: Not mine.

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Summary:

Actually it is just a collection of drabbles, semi-AU, about Kenshin when he was still active as Hitokiri Battousai. But in this story there will be Kaoru, which was about 2 years younger than Kenshin. I hope that no OOC-ness here. Enjoy…

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**One.**

**"Blush"**

She was 13 when the first time she met the boy. Katsura-san said that he was a samurai. One of his samurais. She was hard to believe at first, a boy who was just a year older than her was fighting for restoration. He was a samurai. This also meant that he was a killer. Well no samurai would be happy to be called a killer but in her eyes, samurai and killer were just the same.

She knew that staring at someone, especially from different gender, was not allowed for a girl. Especially the one from low class like her. But she just could not help it. She never saw anything as beautiful as he was. Red hair and his eyes… what was it… gold? When she realized that the boy caught her staring at him, she quickly turned around and ran to the kitchen, which made the Okami warned her with. She could feel the blush in her face.

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He was 14, soon would be 15 when his new master took him to the inn which was also an undercover headquarter for the Meiji knights. Katsura-san talked to the Okami and introduced him. The Okami said that she would take care of him but he did not really focus on what the old lady said. What caught his eyes was a girl that stood shyly behind the Okami.

The girl's kimono was already too old. Her body was thin and he knew that she was from a poor family. Just like him. She was so young, may be just one or two years younger than him. But she was beautiful. With black long silky hair that tied with an old blue ribbons which was as blue as her eyes. The girl was staring at him. He sighed, may be it was his hair. Everybody always thought that his red hair was scary. Or even worse, weird. When she realized that he looked at her too he could see the blush in her face. With the blush on her face, she ran quickly into the kitchen. He was glad that she did that. He did not want she recognized his own blush over his face.

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**A.n:**

**tell me if it sucks, I won't continue it and delete it, if it is so,..**


	2. Name

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Two**

"**Name"**

His name was Himura-san. Himura Kenshin-san. She liked how the name sounded. It was a beautiful name yet also was a strong name. That was just perfect for him. She ever watched him practicing his sword once and she never knew that something as beautiful as him could be so much strong and deadly.

He was beautiful and strong, just like his name.

Three months since he came to the inn, never had she talked to him. Somehow she had forbidden herself to get too close to the red haired young samurai. She was unworthy. A low class girl like her was unworthy even just to think about a samurai like him. It was not about the samurai, it was about him. She knew that she should not, but how could she stop to look at something as beautiful as him?

Just before the dawn, a young samurai left the inn. He walked to a bamboo forest nearby. As usual, he was going to practice some _kata_ he knew. Few meters behind, a girl with long raven hair followed his step silently, tried to not making any unnecessary noise. Again, she would watch him practicing his sword today.

She stood few meters behind him. She tried to hide her self behind the bamboos. She knew, he mostly would be mad if he knew that she followed him. She did not want to anger him.

Kenshin, the heart of sword, that name was perfect for him. Every movement he made as he practicing his _kata_ was beautiful. In his delicate body, where did he hide such a great stamina?

Flying, spinning, thrusting, everything he did was beautiful. The sword was just like the part of his body. The speed, accuracy,… _Is he even a human?_ Everything of his movement was an art. He, with that bright red hair, handsome face, fair skin, and semi-gold eyes, was an art.

She had hated samurais for whole of her 13 years of life. Then she saw him. She knew she could not hate him. No way would she hate him.

She blinked her blue eyes. When she realized it, she was alone. The red haired could not be seen anywhere. She gulped nervously, where was he?

"What are you doing here?"

A cold voice from her behind made the girl realized the sharp steel in her neck, close enough to touch her skin but not too tight to hurt her. She could not turn around to see who it was. Well, she did not need to. She knew who it was.

"I.. I am sorry…" She bit her lower lip, her eyes tried to focus on the blade, "I did not mean to disturb you.. I just…"

There was a snorted, "This is not the first time, huh?"

Now she almost cried. There was not softness at all in his voice. She understood very well if he got mad to her. He, however, had every right to be mad. But she did not want him to get angry to her.

"_Gomen nasai_…"

"You think I will let you go after this?" He whispered.

She shivered at his breath that touched her ear. They were too close. She could feel his warm breath every time he spoke. She did not want to admit it, but actually she liked it. If only there was no blade around her neck.

"I will let you go." She startled, she almost turnedround to see him but the blade forced her to stay in her place, "In one condition…"

She felt her heart was beating faster. She inhaled deeply. She had no choice, "Wha.. What was it?"

Again, the warm breath tickled her ear and made her shiver, "Tell me your name…"

**A.n**

thanks for the wonderful reviewers, I wont delete it

thanks also for not flaming me I don't mind flamers but it does hurt


	3. Hate

Disclaimer: Not mine.

**Three**

"**Hate"**

"I hate samurais"

He paused and looked at the girl who sat on the tatami floor not too far from him. He put the cup of the tea he just about to drink onto the tray of his dinner and rose an eyebrow like asking 'why?' without any sound.

She pouted, "Because they're not different than a killer."

He gritted his teeth. However, he was a samurai and of course he _ever _killed people. Nevertheless, he disliked the idea to be called a killer. A slayer sounded so much better.

"Swords are made to protect people not to kill!" she continued, sounded satisfied that the redhead paid her much attention, "Whatever the reason, using a sword to kill is not right! I mean, why are those samurais so proud of their sword? They called themselves something classy while what they do isn't much different than a mere killer…"

He massaged his temple, this girl stated the point bravely in front of him, the infamous hitokiri battousai who also was a samurai. He let out a heavy sigh. After the day he talked to her in the bamboo forest, somehow the girl seemed like attached to him. She became the one who deliver his dinner to his room everyday and also the one who took care of his laundry. She was also now used to follow him to the bamboo forest. No more sneaking this time. He didn't hate her. Or the way she 'followed' him everywhere. But sometime she gave him headache. Like this time.

"You know," he rubbed his chin, "I am a samurai."

She nodded.

He looked into her eyes but she just blinked innocently.

He sighed, she didn't get the point.

"And you know…" He coughed, "I kill people."

She nodded again.

"So, I am a killer…"

"I know you are a samurai…" she cut, he frowned and looked at her but when she gave him an innocent smile he quickly looked away, oh how he hated that smile, "I also know that you are a killer. That's the point why I start this topic…" She bit her lower lip and looked at her entwined fingers on her lap to hide her blush, "I want to let you know.." She looked at him shyly through her bangs, he still looked away but she noticed a slight red tinted on his ear.

Because there was a long pause and she said nothing no more, he looked at her to find out why she did not complete the sentence. Only to find she smiled at him. He tried his best to hold on not to blush.

"I want you know," she repeated, "Even though I hate samurai," he was almost sure that she was actually an angel when she gave him another shy smile, "I would never hate you…"

He could not hide his blush anymore. Suddenly, being called as a killer did not sound so bad to him. She might hate samurai. She might be wrong to think sword is to protect. She might think samurai as a mere killer.

_Who cares._

As long as she did not hate him.

A.n

I actually hate this chapter. I think, the story and the grammar were worse than the previous chapters, but I still need this chapter before going to the next chapter… Hope that you still want to continue reading this story. I hope I would do better next time. Well, in case you wonder why my English is so bad, it's because English is not my first (or second language). My first language is Chinese and Indonesian and second is Japanese, so I hope you would forgive me m(_ _)m. Well then… See you hopefully (I am kinda worried right now you won't read the next chapter) in next chapter. Take care.


	4. Sword

**Disc: Not mine**

**Four**

**Sword**

_**For me, sword is a weapon and a weapon is made for killing. Sword is made for killing. Then a certain girl said something funny to me lately. She said something funny like, sword is made for protecting. **_

_**Funny. She could say something like that when she even never touched any sword. May be it is because she never touched it. May be it is because she never used sword. Yes. That is why she could have that idea about sword. She won't think that way if she were me. For me sword is a weapon that I use to kill. Nothing would change that.**_

_**Weird. It shouldn't be something important for me, but somehow her words are stuck inside my head. I can't help my self to think about it. I don't want to admit it, but actually, I like her idea about sword better than mine. That sword is for protecting not for killing. Those words are just empty and naïve words. I won't say it loud, but I like it. If only I can make those words come true.**_

_**Beautiful. Those words, and her, are beautiful. I really like it. The words and her, I admire both. I won't admit it though. No, that would be too embarrassing. Well, but I have made my mind about what I should do.**_

_**True. I still believe that sword is for killing, I would always believe it. But I like the idea that sword should be used to protect. I won't change my mind, I would keep using my sword for killing. However that is how I live until today. Killing not protecting. But now, there will be a little difference. Just a little.**_

_**My sword is a weapon. And I will use this weapon to kill. No matter how I admire the words, I won't stop killing. Nothing would change that. But one thing for sure. No matter how many people will die on my sword, it would never be her. I will kill anybody but her. May be my sword is killing thousand people. I don't care. As long as it protect one person. Her.**_

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**a.n**

**boooo hooooo**

**cheesy~!**

**yuck this chapter is soooo cheesy..**

**XP but I promise next chapters should be better *laugh***

**well, I think I would update it sooner than you expected, I got new laptop~ wooo hoo XD well… I will stop blabbering :) thanks for reading, reviewing and/or making it to your favorite story XD **

**Ma, yomikoto no ga hontou ni arigatou gozaimasu. (thanks a lot for reading~)**

**Xie Xie~ wo zen de hen ai ni ^3^**


	5. Youth

**disc: No, I don't own them (I hate disclaiming it but I have to because I have no penny in case you sue me)**

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**Five**

**Youth**

"So, I think we need to change our current strategy. If our informant were correct, it means that the next ambush must be canceled."

"But this is our biggest chance… I don't think we will have another chance if we let this one…"

"We can't take the risk. We already lost so many men!"

"I think however we need to sacrifice something."

"Well, what do you think Himura?"

"Pretty."

"Eh?"

Now everyone in the room looked at the red haired. Now with every eye in the room focused on him, he realized what just he had said. With the blush all over his face, the so-called battousai quickly stood up from the place where he sat.

"Excuse me," he said quickly then left the room and the people inside who looked at him questioningly.

A middle aged samurai frowned at the unusual act, "What's with him?"

"He never acted like that before… He didn't focus on our meeting!" said another samurai with a deeper frown, "I saw him kept staring out side the window!"

Katsura-san let out a heavy sigh. He knew that the young samurai was out of character lately. There must be something that disturbed his mind. The handsome samurai stood up and walked to the place near the window where the battousai had sat before. There was something down there, outside the window that caught the boy's attention and Katsura-san needed to know what it was.

Katsura-san looked down out side of the window and something caught his eyes. Now Katsura-san understood why the boy acted weird today and lately. With a wide smile upon his handsome face, the samurai shook his head gently and mouthed 'youth…'.

Down there, out side the inn, there stood a certain red head talking to a giggling raven haired girl who seemed had been there to sweep the dry leaves for quite a moment. Knowing that someone was watching over him, the boy glance at the window on the second floor only to find Katsura-san and the other samurais grinned widely to him.

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a.n

thanks for all the review :) I've told you haha I am updating it faster lol.

But, I haven't re-read the chapters, so forgive the spelling and grammar ok? I would be happy to revise it later ;)

now… enjoy the coughshortcough chapter.


	6. Eyes

**Eyes**

Kaoru frowned at the red head in front of her. Her hands gripped the broomstick she had used to sweep the falling leaves. She looked into the violet eyes of the red head _battousai. _The older boy tried to avoid the gaze but those sapphire eyes were unavoidable. He let out a heavy sigh. He still thought that she was cute even with the frown in her face.

"So?" Kaoru asked with a sharp tone that nobody would dare to speak to him, "How come it was my fault?"

He let out another heavy sigh, "I don't say that was your fault… Just, next time could you not to do that again?"

"Do _what?_" she raised an eyebrow, looked suspiciously at the boy.

"Do _what_ you _did _before I came here to tell you." He said in a low tone.

"What? Sweeping the leaves?" she looked at him, seemed amused by his answer, the boy looked at her with a deep frown, "I won't understand if you did not tell me properly, Himura-san…."

Kenshin knew that Kaoru just teased him. She should understand what he meant. Or did she? He made an inaudible sigh. He opened his mouth, like he wanted to say something but he did not say anything. Her blue eyes still looked into his violet eyes like trying to encourage him to say it.

"_It_ distracted me."

She narrowed her eyes, looked at him curiously. She looked into his eyes to find something, unfortunately for her that she missed the blush in his cheek, "_It?_"

"You"

"Me?" she rose her eyebrow higher.

He exhaled deeply, "When I knew you were down here, I can't concentrate on the meeting…"

"Ah…" She became red a little when she realized what he meant, "Sorry…"

"Don't be…" he hissed, he glared at the window on the second floor and found that about four pairs of eyes still watched over them and totally amused. He sighed, and looked into her pretty orbs once again, "I am rather glad to leave the room…"

Her pretty blue eyes widened, "You cut the meeting?"

He growled, "Don't look at me like that… It's _you _who distract me."

She giggled, "You're sometime's so silly, Himura-san.."

"And you're always so pretty.."

He did not mean to say that loud. He liked to see how her face became red and her eyes widened even more, but what make him regretting it was when he heard laughter from the second floor. She probably could not hear them but he could.

He looked at the window once again and saw Katsura-san mouthed 'good luck' to him. It was the first time those people could counter his deathly hitokiri's glare with wide teasing grins. He didn't really mind the teases actually. Not when right before his eyes he could see the girl he coughlikedcough smile shyly with blushes on her cheeks.

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a.n

woooo I am soooooooooooooooooo late.

:) thanks for all review… I appreciated all… :)

And… Guess what, I have kung pao chicken for all readers! (plus another chapter ahead as bonus)


	7. Death

Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. (Mada mada da yo.. tabun mirai ni?)

**Death**

Death wasn't something new to him. Not that he had ever been dead before, death was just something that had always been close to him. His parents were dead. The girls who he had thought as big sisters were dead. The robbers who had killed the girls were also dead, not that he really minded it. Now, he became the death itself.

Almost every night, after he received the black enveloped with the next target's name inside, he would see the death. He would be the one who delivered the death, to its victim. He was _hitokiri battousai, _the so-called angel of the death—the man who never feared the death.

He had been sure that death would be the only thing he ever would see, until one day when the death came to take him, but then he met her. She was sloppy, tomboy, and sometimes too noisy. She spilled the tea and laughed too loud for a girl but when his eyes met hers and she gave him that shy smile, he saw something different. He felt something different.

He saw life.

He felt alive.

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**A.N**

Short. Huh? Well after this chapter there will be some twist, (I think so lol, I am not too sure) But maybe, I will put Tomoe in, just maybe, …

And kungpao for the readers! (extra chips for reviewers)


	8. Nightmare

**Disc: ** Nobuhiro Watsuki is a man and I am a girl. He is 180cm and I am only 143cm. He is genius and I am just an average. He owns Rurouni Kenshin, and I am not.

**Nightmare**

_Lately I always have a nightmare. It was the very same nightmare for every night. It has been a week since the day and the nightmare is going worse. It makes me scared to dream. Scared to sleep. I hate to admit it, but yes, I'm scared._

_It was just an ordinary night. It supposed to be one. It also was just an ordinary order. I had to kill someone. Bad luck for him for being there. I wasn't told to kill him, but I had to kill the man he guarded and it meant I had to kill him first before I kill the main target. It was just how things supposed to be. I don't have to worry about it. _

_I repeated the words as if it was some kind of mantra, even in my dream when I came back to the night and once again had to kill the young man. I whispered the mantra, again and again 'I'm sorry… I'm sorry…'. I try and try to get rid all of these feelings but I can't. His expression, his last word, and also some aroma that was blended with the strong smell of the blood—white plum—I can't forget it all._

_Kaoru worries about me, she tries to talk to me but I can't tell her. I do not want to worry her more than this, but I do need her to calm my nerves. So I ask her if I could borrow her laps. I am so glad when she say it's ok and let me sleep on her lap. If only I wasn't too tired for teasing her reddening cheeks. _

_Her fingers ran through my hair then down to my left cheek, touching the scar I got recently from the man of my nightmare. I closed my eyes and breathe. I almost smile when I smell the aroma of jasmine from her body. The aroma is soothing and before I realize it I already cannot smell the white plum aroma that has been haunted me for this week. Finally after the long week, I could sleep with no nightmare haunting me._

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Hello guys : ) hehehe thanks for reading and reviewing… Hot chocolates for you all who spend your time for reading this junk. Well, I think you all got the clue here about my decision to put Tomoe in or not in this story. So my decision is… Yes. I will put her in. :) well a big challenge for me since I don't really like her…


	9. Late

**Disclaimer: I don't own them... **

**Late**

He was late.

Kaoru bit her lower lip, a habit that she always did whenever a certain red head made her worry. She did that a lot lately, sometimes until it bled and she wouldn't know it until someone told her. He told her once to stop that habit, deep inside she wanted to tell him to stop coming home late and make her worry.

She sighed. It wasn't a big mission. He should be already home since fifteen minutes ago. Knowing Battousai and his skill, fifteen minutes were long enough to make Kaoru worried about him. She knew that he was strong, but there always a chance for him to make a wrong move and… She shook her head trying to get rid of that thought. Kenshin, her Kenshin, would be home and he would be alright.

Kaoru stood nervously in front of the front door. She knew that she was not his girlfriend of something like that, or that maybe he would felt disturbed by her act but she just could not help it. She knew that she loved him and she did not want to hide this feeling. Actually, she just couldn't hide her feeling.

It was almost a year since the first time she met him. She didn't know exactly since when she fell in love with him, she just knew for sure that she was in love with him and it couldn't be helped.

_He was never this late…_

Kaoru bit her lower lips harder. She knew that everybody knew that she loved him so much, except him. But maybe, he just pretended that he didn't know. _Or maybe he just did not care about it… _she thought bitterly. Kenshin was always nice to him, but she did not really sure about his feeling to her. She knew that Kenshin and she were way too different. He was samurai and she was only a poor girl. She did not even know how to read. There was nothing in her that could attract the Battousai.

She knew that the percentage of him accepting her feeling was really low. A man like him would not need a girl like her. He would not want her. But still, the thought of losing him was really disturbing her. She did not want to lose him without telling him about her feeling. How if he were dead before she could tell him? Or even worse… how if he met some other girl before she told him? She shook her head. She hated waiting him like this, it always made her thinking about negative thing.

Kaoru sighed. She tried to focus on the street, he could be coming anytime. _What made him so late? _Kaoru prayed silently for Kenshin safety, she did not want something happened to him before she ever told him about her feeling.

A few minutes later, she saw him. She was about to smile when she realized he wasn't alone. He was, as usual, covered by blood, but he did not smell like blood, some faint white plum aroma mixed with the tang aroma, made her dizzy. But that was not the point. The point was, he wasn't alone. There was some girl she never met unconscious in his arms. Kaoru felt like throwing up.

"Kaoru, please prepare _futon_ for her…" said Kenshin when he almost reached her.

Right there, Kaoru knew, it was too late.

***

**A/n. Whoah. I hate this chapter. I don't hate Tomoe, but it was just irritating me… Everything about her is not right in my eyes. I really want to bash her, make her suffering and hurt her here. I mean, hey this is my story! I have my right to do anything to the characters! But no, unfortunately, I can't do that. I think, it won't be fair if I do that… So, I do my best to keep all character, including Tomoe, in character. Huff… btw, thanks for reading and ahem reviewing. I planned to make this story about 15 chapters or so but then again, I don't think I could make it that long. Lol. Have I told you that I don't really have any idea where this story goes? Well if I haven't, I tell you know, I don't know, really, how it should be ended….**


	10. Sister

**Sister**

"She was beautiful, _ne_…"

Kenshin looked at the black haired woman who sat few meters in front of him. She smiles and continued to fold the clothes. Kenshin turned away, continue staring at a raven haired girl. He sat next to the window, following each of her movements with his eyes. Lately he hadn't talked much with her. He had a feeling that she tried to avoid him.

"Do you like her?"

Kenshin frowned slightly before then back to his expressionless face, "It's none of your business."

She chuckled, "Your face's blushing."

He did not answer and just turn away to hide his face. Somehow, being with this woman could make him feeling weird. She did not express herself too much but so he did, he did not really mind it, she also was not scared of him. If he remembered the first time he met her, it was quite amazing if she wasn't scared of him.

"I think she likes you…" she continued calmly, looked at him with the corner of her eyes, then smiled amusedly when his face became even redder, "You don't recognize it?"

He shook his head, "Stop it."

He knew some people kept teasing him about his relationship with Kaoru but he knew better. There was nothing between them. _Not yet, _he noted mentally and blushed deeper at his very own thought. He frowned when he looked back to where she had been but he found no one there. He sighed. He had thought of his feeling to Kaoru lately, but he did not know what it was. He never felt something like this.

"She's special." He blurted, soon he regretted it when he heard the older woman chuckled. He looked at the woman a little bit annoyed. She smiled slightly and tilted her beautiful head to him. He did not know why but he felt comfortable to talk with this woman. Sometime, her scent was piercing his heart but the other time it felt soothing, almost like jasmine scent he smelt when he was around Kaoru.

"I know she is…" The woman agreed. She stood up with the pile of clothes in her arms, she walked to the closet attached to the room, since she came to the inn she had to share room with him and somehow she was getting used with it already, "…Do you like her?"

_Do I? _He asked himself, "I don't know," he answer hesitantly, "I felt uneasy whenever I'm with her lately…"

Another chuckle.

"Maybe you think of her like a sister…" she said while putting the clothes on the closet, "She will make a cute little sister."

They both know that the statement was not right. But somehow Kenshin just smiled dryly and said, "Well she is…"

…_if only I could think of her only as my little sister..._

***

Author's Note:

I am really sorry for being so late, I hate to say it but I was really busy. But, I have done another two chapters ahead, and I will post it sometime this week (I hope). So, thanks for clicking, reading and reviewing this chapter. And it might be very late but happy thanksgiving for who celebrated and eid Mubarak said for who celebrated it…

XOXO

Recchinon.


	11. Woman

**Disc: Standard applied.**

**Woman**

She was really pretty. She looked so intelligent and elegant. She had every features of woman which could make men fell on their knees. The way she talked, walked and even smiled was beautiful. She was really beautiful—she was everything that Kaoru could not ever be.

Her name was Tomoe, and she was a real woman. She cooked, cleaned, and did other women's tasks perfectly, unlike Kaoru who kept getting scolded by the Okami for breaking the plates or burnt the food. Tomoe was almost perfect.

They made her stayed in the inn, she decided not to leave. She had to stayed in Kenshin's room and he let her. Kaoru hated this. She hated to feel this way, to feel jealous over Kenshin. She was ashamed of herself. She had no right to be jealous, she was not his woman. She would never be his woman. Once upon a time, she ever let her hope up that someday he would feel the same way but now after Tomoe came into their life, she realized where exactly she stood. She was not the woman he needed. Hell, she wasn't even a woman yet, she was just a naïve girl. She was sweaty and too loud for her own group, man might consider her as a little sister not a woman. _Maybe Kenshin also thinks of me like that…_

People in the inn had been used to tease her with Kenshin, but lately they all forgot about that and started to tease him with Tomoe instead. She knew that those samurais might be strong but they were also just a bunch of drunken idiots. She shouldn't think about what they said, but she could not. She also did not know why but slowly, she started to avoid Kenshin.

She did not have to take care of his laundry, prepare his meal and tea, or tidy his room. There was Tomoe now to do all of those stuffs for him. She felt a little lonely but she knew that he did not need her anymore.

What Kenshin needs was a woman—a woman like Tomoe, the one who was pretty and smart, even Kaoru knew about this. They both looked good together. _Like a painting… _Kaoru didn't plan to spy him, beside she thought that he could read her _ki_ as usual, but here she was, standing behind the _shoji, _looking at Kenshin who talked with Tomoe. _They both looked like a people in those paintings…_ She had to admit that Kenshin and Tomoe would make a good couple.

"…Do you like her?" she asked.

Kaoru knew they talked about her.

_Does he? _She asked herself. Her throat felt so dry suddenly, but she didn't dare to swallow, didn't want to make him aware that she was there. She bit her lower lip, she knew the answer already. _He does not love me. _

"I don't know," he answered hesitantly, "I felt uneasy whenever I'm with her lately…"

Kaoru felt her heart fell to her stomach, she heart a chuckle.

"Maybe you think of her like a sister…" Tomoe said, Kaoru tried so hard not to cry, "She will make a cute little sister."

_Why should this make me cry? _Kaoru shook her head. She had no right to cry, it was his heart he was free to feel anything. But still, she could not hold her tears when finally she heard his voice, "Well she is…"

_He never looked at me as a woman._

Kaoru sighed, Unfortunately, Kenshin heard that and said, "Who's that?!"

She wiped her tears quickly and opened the door, tried so hard to act cheerfully as usual. She did not want to make him felt awkward. She acted like she just arrived and enter the room. His eyes widened in shock when she forced a smile for him.

"Kaoru…"

"Kenshin… Okami told me to tell you that the _ofuro _is ready, you can use it…"

***

Author's Note:

_Shoji: _Japanese rice paper door

_Ofuro: _Japanese bathtube.

* * *

Hufff… I make this chapter as a pairing chapter of previous chapter. :D Btw, lately I am really worrying about my grammar. I am happy that so far my readers still forgive it and keep reading my story even though my grammar is really nasty. That's why I start to consider having a Beta reader…. So, if anybody wanted to be my beta reader, I'll be sooo happy… :D I need Beta for my fics of Rurouni Kenshin, Bleach, Nodame Cantabile, One Piece and Final Fantasy XII (later I will need for Samurai Deeper Kyo, Shaman King and Persona 4 too). If you're interested, please tell me (and which fandom you wanted to beta) :D

And to answer a reviewer's question, Meiji Knight (_meiji kenkaku) _is the general term for calling people who fight for Meiji, including Ishin Shishi (Ishin Shishi is an organization of activist who act against shogun, in other word, Ishin Shishi members are Meiji Kenkaku, but not all meiji kenkaku is in Ishin Shishi *credit to my Junior High History Book XD*). Why I used the term of Meiji Kenkaku, well it refers to Rurouni Kenshin manga's tittle "Rurouni Kenshin: Meiji Kenkaku (no) Romansu" (translate: Kenshin the wanderer: Romance of a Meiji Knight)

Well, thanks for clicking, reading, liking, and reviewing :D

Loves,

Recchinon. :D


	12. Fates and Destinies

**Disc: standard applied**

**Fates and Destinies**

_It has been almost a month. Or has it been a month already? I am not sure, my time has been frozen since the day you were gone. So, it has been a month… the snow has been melted, and before I realize it, sakura would bloom anytime soon… And I would not be able to see it with you this year._

"Kaoru! What are you doing!"

"Ah… I am so sorry Okami-san, I did not mean to…"

"Oh, now what should we do? It was Katsura san's dinner! You supposed to be careful!"

"I-I am sorry…"

The dark eyed woman stood up from her seat, she opened the slide door and looked at the other two women with a slight worry in her beautiful face. There, in the corridor, was Kaoru stoo in front of an old lady who was the owner of the inn. Near to her feet there was a shattered dinner. The dark eyed woman guessed it supposed to be Katsura san's dinner. The younger girl's face looked pale while the older woman looked angry. She put her hands on her hips and she started to yelled again.

"I don't understand! Lately you're getting more and more sloppy than usual, Kaoru!" Okami san frowned and shook her head, "I don't know what your problem is but please focus when you're working! Now clean it up! I have to prepare the new one!" the old lady turned around and walk to the kitchen Leaving the now sobbing girl bent down and now collecting the shattered plate and food on the floor.

"Ouch…" The raven haired tomboy girl cried when the shattered plate she about to pick up cut her finger. She frowned and sucked her finger to stop the blood.

"Are you okay?" the other woman who had been watching this whole time walked and bent next to her. The older woman took the piece of the broken plate from Kaoru's hand and put it on to the wooden tray laying on the floor, "Go, take a rest and heal your wound, I'll take care of it."

"Eh?" her big blue orbs widened, "I … I can't, I…"

She gave her an assuring smile, "It's okay… you look pale, Kaoru-chan. You're in no condition for working, let me help you this time." She looked frowned in Kaoru's face so she added, "Please?"

Kaoru chewed her lower lip, but then she gave her a shy nod, "Thank you very much, Tomoe-san…"

Tomoe smiled.

_I could not hate her. She is innocence. What have I done? What would I do? I do not want to hurt her but I could not avoid it, because over all in this world, I have chosen you. I do it for you. It will hurt her. It will but I have no choice. I hope you tell the gods, if they are really there, to ease her pain…_

"I heard you make Okami-san angry last night?"

She nodded while continue to wash the clothes in the wooded basin, "Yes, I dropped the tray of Katsura san's dinner…."

The red haired teenager frowned, he leaned to the well, "You are too sloppy."

"I know…" she sulked, "You don't have to tell me."

She made a face that made the infamous man slayer couldn't hide his chuckle, "She yelled at you, didn't she?" he smiled imagining the old lady barking at the poor girl.

Kaoru nodded. She looked at the older boy for a moment before back to her work. Battousai was in an unusual good mood that morning. It had been quite some time since the last time he could spend some time with the younger girl, since the day where Tomoe asked him about his feeling for the tomboy, she seemed like drew a line from him. He was not quite sure why though.

Battousai enjoyed the comfortable silence as he watched the girl doing her daily task. He watched her swept the sweat on her forehead with her forehand and he frowned as he realized that one of her finger was bandaged.

"What's wrong with your finger?" his voice was harsh as he grasped her hand. He looked into her eyes. He scowled, clearly looked worried to her.

"Kenshin, it's just some papercut I got yesterday…" Kaoru looked away to hide her blush. She tried to pull her hand from him but he grasped her hand tighted, "Let go, Kenshin…"

"Doesn't it hurt? The soap water could hurt your wound!" Kenshin frowned, looking at the bandaged finger.

"It… It's okay, Kenshin…" Kaoru tried to pull away, their position was too close. She was afraid he could hear her heart beat at this rate, "It's bandage, the soap won't hurt me…"

"But…"

A feminine cough surprising both of them, using it as her only chance Kaoru pulled her hand away from Kenshin. Her face was burnt.

Kenshin looked at the pretty woman stood not too far from him and Kaoru. He narrowed his eyes, he could not feel her ki approaching before. Could it because he was too occupied with Kaoru, or it was true that he was getting dull?

"I'm sorry if I am interrupting something…." Tomoe stood elegantly.

Kaoru shook her head rapidly and laughed to hide her nervousness, "It.. It's okay… you don't interrupt anything… Me and Ken.. err Himura-san was just… err talking…."

Tomoe nodded, "So, is it okay if I borrow Himura for a moment, Kaoru chan?"

"S-sure…" Kaoru blushed, _why should she asked for my permission?_, "G-go ahead…"

"What is it?" Kenshin asked blatantly, he did not hide his scowled.

"Okami-san asked me to go to the market." Tomoe said with her stoic expression as usual, "And I have to take you with me."

"But it supposed to be my off day!" he complained, he almost never complained but he could see Katsura san from the second floor waving his hand teasing him with a big evil grin plastered on his handsome face. He knew this was Katsura's idea.

"Katsura san told me to take you with me."

Yes, he was right.

Kenshin gritted his teeth. He threw some killing glare to the older man on the second floor, "Fine. Let's go."

"Please be careful!" Kaoru waved cheerfully toward the couple as they walked away.

_It was jealousy. _

_I should not be jealous. I know that, but the sight of two of them was somehow hurt me. It was weird, how could I feel this feeling? Now, on second thought, it was not a jealousy. I suppose to feel nothing. Nothing but hatred. Not even a slight jealousy. _

_Soon… everything shall be over soon._

Kaoru walked out of the kitchen when she heard some noisy from the main corridor. Somehow she had a bad feeling about it. Kaoru quickened her pace. Kenshin was not there tonight, he had another thing to do. Kaoru prayed as she practically flew to the main corridor. She hoped it was not about Kenshin.

"Oh, my God!" Kaoru became pale as she saw Fujitaka, one of the order member crawled on the floor. The samurai had been cut everywhere badly and covered by so much blood. Kaoru ran to the bleeding man and checked him, she gasped as she realized that he was losing his left arm, "What happened, Fujitaka-san? I thought you were in a meeting with the other…"

"Kat..sura… san…"

"Ah, Katsura-san is in the kitchen, he would go to the meeting in about five minutes… why…"

"I need to… talk to… Kat…"

"What's happened?"

The handsome black haired samurai ran toward them. He knelt in front of the younger samurai. He was frowning and his face went pale. Kaoru bit her bottom lip as Okami-san who walked behind Katsura san screamed.

"Oh Gods! What happened to you, Fujitaka-san?"

"Kat..sura… san…"

"Yes, tell me what happen!" Katsura looked at the younger man with slight panic look, "Where're the others?"

"…Am.. bush… we're ambushed… shinsen…gumi… The others… are killed…"

_Fate and destiny is different._

_God decides your fate, but your destiny is in your own hand. You could change your destiny but not your fate._

_I don't know, about I have to kill him, is it a fate or destiny…_

"Tomoe!" Okami san entered the room with a panic face, "Please help us! Prepare the hot water for Fujitaka-san!"

"What happened?" Asked the long haired woman.

"Hurry up! Fujitaka-san is dying!"

Tomoe nodded. She closed the diary in front of her and put it between her folded futon before then stood up and walked quickly to help Okami-san.

_But, Himura…_

_That you killed Akira that day was a destiny. You should be able to avoid that. You could change that destiny to not kill him. You have choice. But you killed him anyway… The day you killed Akira, you have chosen your destiny…_

_And about I fall for you, it must be fate._

_I could not do anything about it._

_**Author's note:**_

_**Thanks for reading (and reviewing). This chapter has been longer than usual. And yes, it took longer time for me to finish it too… I am sorry but I was quite busy lately. **_

_**It is a random topic but I have rewritten my other Rurouni Kenshin fic, Stereo. Not much revision, I just added some scene and fixed the lemon part. Please take a look at it if you have time. By the time you read this I am doing the third chapter of it, hopefully I could post it soon.**_

_**Now, thanks for all of you.**_

_**Recchinon: OUT**_


	13. Interlude

**Disc: standard applies**

**Interlude  
**

"This is not good."

The young red head samurai didn't say anything. He understood very well about the current condition. He sat uncomfortably next to the older man on the river bank, pretending like they were fishing. His master's voice was light and calm, but he knew very well how serious the older man was.

"We lost many men." he said again, he didn't wait for his response, "at this rate, we cannot win without any strategy..."

The young samurai sighed, "There must be a spy amongst us."

The raven haired samurai chuckled, "Really..."it sounded like he already knew about it.

"I have some people in my mind."

"So do I." he smiled, "But, Himura... We don't have time to think about that now..."

He didn't said anything. He just kept silent, waited for the master to explain further.

"I will go hiding."

"Where?"

"I can't tell."

He didn't say anything. He knew that it didn't mean that Katsura didn't believe him. He believed him, so much. If not, he wouldn't bother to tell him about this. He knew there were reasons why he didn't tell him. He didn't need to pursue it.

"You also have to hide."

"Me?"

His amber eyes got narrowed.

"You are important for us, Himura. I have taken care of everything."

"What do you mean?"

There were something in Katsura's eyes. And he had a feeling that he would not like it.

"You will get married Himura..."

.

.

**Author's Note**

This is the interlude to the second phase of the story, sorry for the dull chapter.

_**Recchinon: OUT**_


	14. Triangle

**Disc: Standard Applied**

**Triangle**

They got married. Not a real marriage but that was a marriage, still, where he was the man and she was the wife. She was no one in their marriage, just an outsider who lost all her hope when both of them got married. There had been this weird feeling inside her telling that he actually had a feeling for her, but when he saw them as man and wife she couldn't believe how she could get the crazy idea that he might love her back.

They had lost, not yet but almost.

They lost many men and now all of the survivor needed to hide. They would fight back but not now. Right now, they all needed to think about another plan. He was one of their valuable army. She knew exactly why Katsura-san asked him to get married and hide. She also understood that marriage was an almost perfect camouflage for him. For him to hide as a newlywed was easier than to live alone as a master-less samurai. Her brain could understand all of that but it didn't mean that her heart would accept it.

She didn't want to admit it that she loved him but when they got married she couldn't deny it anymore, she didn't want him to marry that girl. Why her? She couldn't accept it. Why Tomoe, why not her?

"_You will stay with us."_

"_E-eh but?"_

"_You can be Tomoe's sister and stay with us…"_

She hated it.

She hated the way he called her name.

She closed her eyes. It had been two weeks since the three of them moved to a small wooden house in the back of the village. It had been two weeks since they get married. Kaoru tried not to show any disappointment on her face and pretended that the way the older woman touched the young samurai didn't make her jealous.

"Kenshin, would you get me some tofu?"

The red haired samurai was sitting under the tree outside of their house, reading some book when his wife with some white apron walked out of the house to approach him. Kaoru who was hanging up the laundry paused for a moment.

"Okay, no problem," Kenshin sighed as he stood up from his favorite place to read.

Kaoru wiped her hands on her kimono and walked to the older girl, "I will go buy it."

"No, I can do it. I'm done reading for today."

"I'm also done with the laundry so I can go."

"No, I you must be tired, I can go!"

"Stop it!" the dark eyed woman looked at the two teenagers and sighed, "Why don't just go? Both of you?"

The blue eyes and violet eyes met. A little hint of pink appeared on their cheeks before they nodded in unison. The older woman nodded her head and signaled them with her hand to go away. Slowly and shyly the two teenagers turned and walked to the village to get the tofu.

Tomoe watched their back as they left. They tried to walk as close as possible without touching each other. She let out a heavy sighed and smiled. She was never a stupid woman.

She might be his wife, but they way those two acted sometime more like a newlywed couple that her. She knew that the younger girl had some feeling for her husband. She, in the other hand, had started to had this feeling for the same man too. They loved the same man but she knew, there was only one girl in his heart. Whether he had realized his own feeling or not, that feeling was there.

Maybe…

…just maybe, she should do something before he realized it.

.


	15. Why

**Disc: Standard Applied**

**Why?**

**.**

The sun had been ready to set when the girl of fifteen years old and a boy which was only few years older than her walked side by side from the market to go back to their hut in the back of the village. The girl was really lucky, the sun helped her hiding her blush. They walked so close to each other that sometime their shoulder would accidentally bumped with each other's but no one of them said anything.

Kaoru didn't dare to look at Kenshin. No, of course not, because that'd be dangerous. Lately she had this weird urge to ki-

Cough.

Hmm, okay, lately she wanted to kiss him.

She knew this was not right for her to think so. First, they were not a couple. Two, it was not proper for a girl to think about doing something like that. And third, Kenshin had been married to Tomoe. At this last point, Kaoru let out a deep sigh. Living with a man she loved and his wife was not easy. It hurt so much.

"Why?" Kaoru blinked.

"Eh?"hey didn't stop and kept walking.

"Why were you sighing? Are you tired?"

"A... ah, no!" Kaoru laughed nervously, "I'm just..."

She couldn't find the right thing to say so she didn't say anything more.

"Why?"

She looked at him and were surprised when she caught him looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

"Why are you blushing?"

"I... I..."

Kenshin sighed. He stopped and Kaoru followed him. The girl with raven hair looked confused. She chewed her lower lip nervously.

"What's wrong?" she asked groggily.

"Could you hold these bucket for a second?"

Kaoru frowned but she accepted the buckets with both of her hands. Despite her slender figure, she was a strong looked at the red haired boy curiously. He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment before putting both of his hands on her shoulder. He opened her eyes and looked into her sapphire orbs. She was more nervous than ever. His violet mixed amber eyes were looking too deep into her.

"Wh-"

She could never finished her question because he had put his lips on her.

She was shocked for the first two second but then something inside her made her kiss him back. If not for the bucket in her hands, she would like to hug his neck and pulled him to her. More...

More...

His hands were now holding her head and his thumbs were gently rubbing her smooth cheeks.

It felt like forever before finally he pulled away slowly.

She opened her eyes slowly and met his eyes.

"Why?" She asked.

He shook his head. His face was red, maybe it was the sunset, maybe it was a blush, she'd never know.

"I don't know..."

.


	16. Little Brother

**Little Brother**_  
_

_It has been almost a year since I met him._

The girl with onyx eyes stopped writing after just one sentence. She wasn't sure whether she should continue it or not. Lately it had been like she couldn't be sure of anything. She wasn't sure anymore if what she had and would done was the best for her.

The girl was beautiful. She was slender and tall for a Japanese girl. Her eyes were as black as her hair, she rarely smile but this didn't make her less beautiful. Tomoe was indeed a very beautiful girl.

She looked down at her diary. She hadn't had written much on her diary lately. Since her marriage...

Yes, this beautiful and intellectual woman was married to a handsome young samurai who was few years below her. Their marriage was not a real marriage or it was legal, but she was still a wife who had her duty to serve her husband. He didn't ask anything for her but she couldn't help but to feel like she needed to take care of him. Maybe... It was love?

They hadn't done it yet. No, it wasn't like she would refuse him if he ever came to her to do it; in fact she actually wanted to do it with him. Again, maybe it was love. But he never did that. Maybe he didn't love her, or maybe he thought it was inappropriate. Or maybe it was because _she _was here.

That girl, a raven haired girl, a youngest one in this house, she had been living with them since their marriage. Her name was Kaoru, she had been working in the inn where he used to live before he met her. She didn't hate Kaoru, no, Tomoe was far too smart to hate a woman for some shallow reason like... Jealousy?

Why would she feel jealous?

He was her man, her husband. Legal or not. Real or not. They were married and that was final.

Or not.

Tomoe closed the book. She lost her mood to write anything. She stood up and walked to the door, those two were not home yet since she sent them to the village to shop. She opened the door and looked at the orange sky. It was so peaceful...

Tomoe was not a weak woman, but she wasn't that strong. She had been losing many things in the past, this time, the thought of losing something she loved once again was unthinkable.

Her onyx eyes fell on a kid stood behind the tree in front of their hut. The boy was hidden behind the tee, only his head popped from behind the tree, looking at her direction. It was getting darker and darker and it was difficult to see but she knew who was the kid.

"Enishi!"

The kid smiled as the woman called his name, "Sister!"

The older sister ran to the kid, she didn't know what to feel, she was happy but she was scared too at the same time, "What are you doing here?"

"You never sent us letter anymore," he explained, his face was too happy to deliver the serious matter, "Kagenuma is angry. You should send us information about them!"

"I can't!" she hissed, she was happy to see the kid in front of her, she had missed him a lot but she was also angry to the man who sent him to this place, "When I had a chance I will, but not now!"

He frowned, "But sister, it has been a year!"

Tomoe bit her lower lip, "I know, give me more time, he hasn't fallen for me yet..."

"But it has been a year!" he insisted, "Kegenuma said we can't wait anymore, you can't stay too long with him!"

"Just a little more, I need more time to make her fall for me..."

"Do you like him?"

She widened her eyes, "W-what?"

"You haven't forget our plan right?"

She sighed and patted his unruly black haired head, "Don't worry, I'm sticking to the plan."

He smiled again, happy with the answer, "Good," but then he frowned again, the kid was only twelve years old or thirteen but the way he talked was too adult-like and it made her uneasy, "So, what's the problem?"

"It's..."

"Who's that boy?"

Tomoe and her little brother turned to see a certain red head and a raven haired stood in front of them. She panicked wondering how much had they heard of their conversation. She studied the red head's face but she found nothing. For now, they hadn't been found out and she was relieved.

"Ah," Tomoe smiled, she put her hand on the boy's shoulder, "I'm sorry, this is my little brother. He missed me and came all the way from our aunty's house to this place to see me."

Kenshin looked at the boy who glared at him. He narrowed his eyes but he said nothing.

It was Kaoru who broke the silence few seconds later, "Oh, great timing, why don't you join us for dinner?" She turned to the red headed samurai and beamed at him, "It's alright, right?"

The boy's name was Enishi.

He looked at the tomboy and frowned.

Now he understood what was his sister's problem.

He would take care of it.

Author's note:

Maybe confusing but if you follow the manga maybe you can predict what was it about because it is an AR fanfic not AU... AR is alternate reality where I am messing with the real manga plot, but the main idea was still the same. I am really dizzy when I write this so forgive me if i wrote trash.

Adios~


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